


your shield at my back with your heart in my hands

by psyraah



Series: Prince Keith/Knight Shiro [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-07-11 00:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15961229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psyraah/pseuds/psyraah
Summary: A series of prompts set in my Prince Keith / knight Shiro AU.Chapter 1: berriesChapter 2: shelfChapter 3: trials





	1. berries

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to get back into writing, so decided to ask my sister to come up with a list of words for me to write shorter fics to! Most of these will be set in my knight/prince AU, but some may not (because she gave me modern words dang her). Enjoy!

The summer air bubbled.

To Keith’s mind, there was nothing better than this: sitting sprawled on the grass, the sun easing its way below the horizon, with the occasional breeze rustling the grass and tugging gently at his hair. His day had been full of budgets and requisitions and negotiations, as they usually were, which made the taste of the day’s end that much sweeter. The day had been long, but this was a vast improvement on the long winter months, when long days just turned into longer nights.

Sighing with contentment, Keith plucked another plump, red strawberry from the little mound piled on the grass, and took a blissful bite. The fruit was refreshing and sweet—much like the man who lay with his head pillowed in Keith’s lap, dozing peacefully as Keith gently brushed out his starlight hair.

Keith smiled fondly as he watched Shiro doze. As long a day as it had been for Keith, it had just been as long for Shiro. Keith’s Champion (knight, trusted advisor, best friend) attended all the same things as Keith did, and then some, having to run his usual perimeter checks and the like. Keith had told him, months ago, that they could easily find a new Chief of Guard.

Shiro had just set him with that withering look he reserved only for complete imbeciles or the people closest to him.

“Leaving your safety up to someone else? Not on my watch.”

Keith had rolled his eyes. “Yes, exactly—I want it to be someone _else’s_ watch.”

Shiro had shoved his shoulder—playfully, but also with enough force to send Keith stumbling—and that had been that.

But still, it had warmed Keith’s heart, and stoked his soul to embers. After all, he was lucky. To be looked after as he was, to be cared for, to be protected.

To be loved so.

And he had felt all that warmth when he had dragged himself out of the castle after a long day, under cryptic instructions from Shiro to meet him in the gardens. There, Keith had found a beautiful man, having spent a half hour collecting Keith’s favourite fruits to heap them in a proud pile on the grass.

But Shiro’s efforts had tired him, and here he was, sunlight glinting off his cheeks as his eyelashes fluttered. And there he would stay.

( _“Keith…with you, I’ll always stay_.)

With a secret smile, Keith picked another berry from his stash. Juice smudged over his lip as he continued to play with Shiro’s hair gently, his love dancing just as lightly in his heart. And the summer rolled on.


	2. shelf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Prince and his knight ring in a new year with an old tradition.

The sounds of the festival were distant as Keith collapsed in his chair, not even bothering to take off the thick cloak that pooled awkwardly underneath him as he did so. He didn’t moan with how wonderful it felt to be off his aching feet, but it was a near thing; he had been standing for hours, wandering the stalls that had been set up for the new year’s winter market, greeting the townspeople, and putting on a foolish “duel” in the middle of the square with the urging of Lance.

It had been half an hour to midnight of a new year when Keith had retired back to the castle. It had been a long day, and those around him also weren’t entirely comfortable with him being amongst a rowdy crowd of thousands once midnight hit. For once, Keith didn’t argue. It had been a tiring day to end a very long year, and Keith wanted nothing more than what he had now: a fire crackling in the hearth, and some peace and quiet after the bustle and noise of outside.

Keith being a killjoy hadn’t meant that the rest of his entourage needed to retire, and he had reassured them that yes, he would be entirely fine walking the hundred odd metres back to the castle unattended. So he had left the vast majority of his friends back at the festival.

But these days, he didn’t go anywhere without a shadow.

There was a knock on the door, and Keith smiled despite his fatigue. It might be slightly ridiculous, but he swore he could recognise the rap of those knuckles against wood anywhere.

“You know you never have to knock,” he called.

The door swung open, and Shiro walked in. Unlike Keith, he had abandoned his cloak somewhere along the way, now just down to a simple tunic, though Shiro looked anything but ‘simple’. With the fabric fitting just right over a broad chest and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, he was a vision in black and white. Not to mention those boots paired with those long legs just _did_ things for Keith.

And, to Keith’s continued wonder, Shiro was all his to have.

“And you know I’ve told you before that I want to respect your privacy, if you’re seeking it,” Shiro responded easily. Keith tried not to huff in frustration. Their transition from travelling companions, to friends, and to lovers had been easy. Natural. But it was the sudden transition to a prince and his knight that had been difficult to navigate, and never was it more obvious than when Shiro went oddly formal on him.

Keith reached for him, but was too tired to stand. “I’m not seeking it right now. So come here.”

A soft smile lit Shiro’s face, the one that was reserved only for the stars and for Keith. “Your wish is my command,” he murmured, before seating himself on the desk, paying no mind to the assortment of pens and papers scattered across it. His hand sought Keith’s immediately, the cool metal cradling Keith’s warmth. “Did you enjoy the festival?”

Keith nodded, tracing the intricate patterns etched in the metal of Shiro’s hand. “It was fun. More fun than I thought it’d be.” Keith paused, shifting so he could lean against Shiro. Shiro’s arm lifted automatically so he could settle it around Keith’s shoulders, and Keith felt so at home with that warmth around him. “More fun than it was the last few years.” Two years ago had seen the country still dragging itself to its feet after years of war. The revival of the winter festival, fallen to the wayside during those lost years, had been Allura’s idea. Keith had gone along with it reluctantly to please her (after all, that’s what brothers were for), but it had been difficult to still see the way that people were haunted by the years of pain.

It had reminded Keith too much of when he had first found Shiro after he’d thought him dead. Too much of the face he saw in the mirror some days.

But this year had been…better. The people had begun to heal, to pick themselves up after realising that the peace really could last. And their peace had brought a little more of Keith’s own.

Shiro’s hand rubbed over Keith’s shoulder comfortingly. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. It was a big year—you deserve to celebrate.”

Keith tilted his head up to look at Shiro. Not for the first time, and he was certain not for the last, he took in the handsome features with no small amount of wonder. There were more times than Keith could count where Shiro had refuted Keith’s claims about his beauty, and while Keith understood, sometimes he wondered how Shiro couldn’t see it. Long silken hair, that _jawline_ , and soft grey eyes with warmth like starlight.

“You’re gorgeous.”

Predictably, Shiro ducked his head at the words, breaking eye contact. “As you’ve mentioned many times before.”

“Bears repeating.” Keith’s smile turned playful. “I think I want to celebrate _you_ tonight. In bed.”

Shiro rolled his eyes, pushing to his feet. “You’ve had too much to drink,” he said, although Keith didn’t miss the way Shiro’s ears were flushed red, despite the words.

“And you forget that Galra blood means I haven’t,” Keith retorted.

“You are so stubborn.” But the words were fond. “I’ll come, but you’ve forgotten our tradition first.”

“No I haven’t.” He just hadn’t had time to actually do any preparation. “We still have some minutes.”

“Better move quickly then.” Doing exactly that, Shiro drew something small from his pocket, offering it to Keith. “Here.”

Curious, Keith took the object from Shiro’s hand. The dim candlelight didn’t make it immediately apparent what exactly it was: a wooden figure, small enough to fit snugly in Keith’s palm, a long body, bushy fur—

Keith laughed, delighted. “It’s my wolf.”

Shiro grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, it’s your wolf. I, um, the details aren’t quite as fine as I’d wanted them to be. I had Ryan teach me how to carve, but my—I’m not exactly nimble with that type of work.” He glanced down at his metal hand, squeezing it into a fist before relaxing again. “But I thought…he helped me do my job this year. I thought that ought to be something to remember.”

The forced lightness of his tone told Keith that Shiro still blamed himself for the random attack on their home, months ago. That would need to be discussed, but for the moment, Keith just smiled, and pushed himself back onto his feet so he could press a kiss to his hero’s cheek.

“I love it,” he murmured. “It’s perfect.” Turning to the shelf that sat behind his desk, he placed it amongst an assortment of small items that sat in a neat row. It was their tradition, starting from the small piece of amethyst that Shiro had bought him on new year’s day months after they had met, all those years ago.

“Like your eyes,” Shiro had said, soft smile and gentle affection. “It was pretty in the market. Reminded me of you.”

Their tradition, and one that settled Keith’s heart to know that each little addition was a promise of another year together. He settled the little wooden carving of his wolf on the shelf, next to a small steel flower he had made for Shiro last year. Another year passed.

Together.

With that steadiness in his heart, Keith turned back to Shiro, a little sheepish, but not guilty. Shiro had taught him he didn’t need to be, not with him. “I, um, yours will be late. I’m still working on it. Time got away from me.”

As always, Shiro just accepted that with a gentle smile and his hand in Keith’s. “That’s perfectly fine.” He moved closer, radiating his perfect warmth, the firelight flickering in his eyes, every breath moving in time with Keith’s.

“I have everything I want right here.” The words were murmured against Keith’s lips, and then Keith forgot everything else but their promise of together.

Outside, the clock struck midnight, and a new year began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year all.


	3. trials

There are a thousand and one thoughts swirling around Keith’s mind currently. At the forefront of everything, of course, is the thought of his Trials tomorrow. Everyone keeps saying it’s just a formality, but when you’re a half-breed heir to the throne, even the smallest of formalities count in terms of how much the people who you rule trust you. And this isn’t even a _small_ formality; the whole thing is meant to symbolise his fitness to rule. He screws up, and well…long story short, he’s not fit.

Besides the actual Trials themselves, there’s all the preparation that goes with it—inviting the necessary nobles, organising the banquet afterwards, having to _think_ about the crowds and the pleasantries during said banquet. It’s enough to make his head spin.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” Shiro’s voice murmurs from next to him, and Keith forces himself to relax once more and focus on the quiet around him.

“Yeah, it is,” he breathes. They’re lying in the gardens behind the castle, where Shiro dragged him after dinner, probably knowing that Keith was going to go crazy if left alone with his thoughts any longer. It’s one of their favourite spots; they can see the night sky, and they’ve spent many a night just lying on the grass, the movement of the blanket of stars overhead the only thing to mark the easy passing of the hours.

There’ll be less of that once Keith is crowned. It won’t be for a while; the Trials are just the first stage, and Ulaz will be steward for some time before they deem Keith experienced enough to lead by himself. But it’s a step closer to the reality that he’s not going to have as much time for this. Not for his best friend and Champion (and the love of his life, although he has yet to admit that to anyone but the deepest recesses of his own heart), and the very thought makes his heart ache.

“Keith, I can _hear_ you thinking,” Shiro murmurs again. Then there’s a hand laid over Keith’s on the grass, and Keith’s heart beats double time at the contact. “Everything is going to be fine.”

“I know,” he says immediately, because it _has_ to be. “I know, it’s just—there’s so much that will change, Shiro.”

The grass whispers as Shiro shifts next to him. “True. But that’s just how life is. We can’t be paralysed from fear of change. That’d be afraid of living.”

Keith supposes that’s true. And the two of them have known far more change than many others. Shiro’s metal fingers over his own attest to that.

“And,” Shiro continues, before Keith can say anything else, “I’ll still be here with you. Whatever comes, we’ll weather it together.”

It isn’t until Shiro says it that Keith realises how much he needs to hear it. “Thank you,” he says quietly. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

“Always, Keith. Always.”

 _You don’t know how much_ you _mean to me_ , Keith thinks, but he keeps the words to himself. That can wait to be shared another day. For now, having Shiro by his side as his friend and champion is enough. They’ve fought through so much together that Keith really does believe him when he says that they’ll weather it together. So Keith relaxes, watching the stars drift by, content with the knowledge that Shiro is with him.

Whatever tomorrow brings.


End file.
